WASHINGTON — A Metro train operator drove a train drunk for hours last year, according to an investigation by Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (WMSC). The commission released new details about that investigation during its meeting Tuesday.
According to the investigation, a Blue Line train bypassed the Van Dorn Station and came to a stop for more than 30 minutes before safely letting customers off at the Franconia-Springfield Station on Dec. 23, 2022. The operator did not communicate what had happened.
When Metro officials and emergency responders arrived, they found the Metrorail operator had allegedly been drinking while driving the train. The operator was taken into custody for driving while intoxicated. Investigators said the incident was not reported to the safety commission for several hours afterward. The initial station overrun happened at 10:30 p.m., but was not reported by WMATA until 7:33 a.m. the next day.
Investigators found that the train operator had first reported for duty at the Alexandria train yard at 9:40 a.m., and was assigned a split shift that day. He was assigned to take over a six-car train from King Street Station to Downtown Largo station from around 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.
An investigation of CCTV footage found that the train operator did not report to Huntington Station for his assigned night shift. He eventually got on a train to head to his assigned station around 7:30 p.m. He took over the operation of a train a short time later at King Street Station
A rail supervisor remained on the train though Stadium-Armory station, and told investigators they did not notice signs of intoxication. During the trip to Downtown Largo, the train stopped short of several platforms, each while the rail supervisor was still on the train.
During a break at Downtown Largo, CCT shows the operator showing signs of impairment as he returns to operate to Franconia-Springfield Station. The footage showed the operator swaying and not walking in a straight line. This is about an hour before the train bypassed Van Dorn Street Station, investigators said.
The investigation found that the operator continued to stop short of station platforms. At Van Dorn Street, the train operator went past the station platform and did not service the station. There were about 18 people onboard at the time. The train operator then stopped between stations after losing speed commands. This led to the brakes being automatically applied.
The train operator did not communicate with the Rail Operations Control Center (ROCC) that his train was stopped. Investigators said the train operator was out of communication for about 40 minutes.
MTPD was eventually alerted to what was going on by a passenger on the train.
About 23 minutes after the train stopped between stations, Fairfax County emergency crews were called to the train. The train operator eventually moved to Franconia-Springfield Station, and tried to reverse course back toward Downtown Largo, but was stopped by Metro supervisors and Metro Transit Police.
That's when investigators say the operator showed signs of intoxication. Field sobriety tests found that he was under the influence of alcohol.
The train operator was later fired.
During Tuesday's meeting, investigators said Metrorail could have provided a timelier response had it been more aware of the earlier instances of station overruns and stopping short.
Following the presentation, Metro commissioners questioned what further disciplinary actions could be taken to keep an incident like this from happening again. Metro investigators said work is being done to address the issue more completely.
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